Star Wars Flowers
by HK47 Approves
Summary: Jedi Genera Athena Dhila and Rancor Squadron attempt to locate the Republic starship The Champions Cry and find Vandar Toome when things take a turn for the worst


Star Wars

Flowers

By HK47 Approves

White boots trudged through the flowery meadow on the grassy planet of Dandoran. The individual blades of grass snapping beneath the plasteel boots of Clone Commando Styl and Rancor Squad. "Alright boys double time it!" Styl shouted. A few seconds later a pair of leather boots followed suit.

"Captain our mission has been pretty slow, you don't need to be so aggressive," said Jedi knight Athena Dhila. "We've been out here for days and seen no action, what's gonna happen now." Athena's face lit up with a grin.

"I know General, but my boys should be prepared for anything." Styl replied. "Hicks! Get up here now!" A clone ARF trooper clad in brown and pilot blue stepped forward.

"Yes Captain?"Hicks said, the shakiness in his voice was noticeable to anybody.

" Status report on the team."

" Everything is normal sir."

"At ease Sargeant," Athena said. " You aren't in trouble."

"Sorry sir." Hicks said "It's just never good when I'm involved

Rancor squad consisted of twelve highly trained clone troopers including Styl. The squads colors were generally brown and pilot blue, but styl wore gold, scarlet, and white. The group generally carried around DC-15 S blaster carbines, but Thrax carries a Z6 rotary cannon, Blam uses a RPS-6 Rocket launcher, Hicks uses DC-17 hand blasters, and Styl uses a DC-17m blaster rifle.

"Hicks, I'm getting something on radar." Buck started "Looks like 1 tank, 2 speeders, and about 14 ground troopers."

"What! Let me look at that." Hicks yelled as he made his way over to Buck. "Hardline, Crankcase in the woods. Thrax, Blam take forward assault, Everybody else on me."

"Well looks like the action that you wanted is coming your way Styl." Athena said with sarcasm in her voice. A flaming red mortar engulfed the nearby trees, collapsing branches flaming red. Thrax's barrel spun as blue blaster bolts shot out of the cannon.

"Looks like Trandoshans to me Styl." Thrax yelled over the blaster bolts.

Athena's purple lightsaber reflected off of her face and auburn hair. She lunged forward impaling the Trandoshan mercenary straight through the middle. She jumped to the other one slashing his arm. A coarse green limb hit the ground as blood splattered the rock and coated it in a swampy green liquid. The Trandoshan tank fired again this time taking out more trees and parts of the stream.

"What the hell are trandoshans doing on Dandoran!?" Styl yelled to Hicks and Athena

" I don't know." Hicks replied .

A large explosion lit up the early morning sky as Blam's rocket hit the tank as the flames possed what used to be the tank. The other Trandoshans were picked off by some of the other clones. Athena approached a Trandoshan leader as he crawled away. The light of Athena's blade made his scaly green skin turn a pinkish hue. "What the hell are you doing here? Answer me!" Athena screamed as she pushed her blade closer to the reptiles throat.

"Why the hell would I tell you?" The Trandoshan snarled.

"Okay then," Athena said as she pushed the blade into his shoulder. The brow cloth on his shoulder singed as the blade went deeper and deeper into his shoulder. He let out an ear splitting roar. "So are you gonna tell me why you are here?". Athena showed no remorse to him

" We're here to find the wreck of the Champion's Cry." The trandoshan was in excessive pain.

"Crankcase! Put him out of his misery." Hicks shouted. A blue flash lit up the area and the Trandoshan lie limp. "Styl, General Dhila, What the hell is the Champion's Cry?"

"That was the last known location of Jedi master Vandar Toome, and he is why we're stuck here." Styl said. "Hopefully they didn't beat us to it."

"Hicks what're our losses?"

"Lad and Owen are pushing up the daisies." Hicks solemnly replied.

"They were good men." said Athena

The clones continued on through the grassy plains of Dandoran with no action since a small Trandoshan patrol. "Are we there yet" Blam said in a mocking voice.

"Shut the hell up Blam." Crankcase replied.

"We've been out here for days." Blam said

"Really? I didn't know that!" Crankcase shouted

"Here's an idea both of you shut up." Buck snarkily replied.

"Alright girls no fighting." Athena said.

"I've got a large land mass to the east, and it doesn't look natural." Buck said. He sounded frightened.

"Is it the Cry?" Athena said.

"I don't know." Buck replied.

"I don't think that's the Cry" Thrax yelled. His barrel sped up mowing down anything that even so much as entered his line of sight was decimated.

"You think you got it?" Crankcase yelled. The squad walked into the trees to investigate what Thrax had fired at. B1 battle droids filled with holes lie in the flowers. "Well you aren't as crazy as I thought Thrax. Whaddya know?"

"I told you. Nobody ever listens to me." Thrax said.

"We'd better set up camp," Styl said. "With all this crap we've been going through we need some time to rest." The sun was down and the moon was up.

"Makes sense commander, we have been through a lot." Athena said. The squad set up camp. Styl took off his helmet to reveal a stubble beard and a neat haircut. "Looking sharp Captain." Athena said mockingly.

"Thank you general." Styl said. In the background Crankcase and Thrax made heart hands in his direction.

"Athena and Styl sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G…" Crankcase sang. Styl's middle finger found its way towards crankcase.

"Give him a break Crank, you didn't go through half of the stuff he went through." Buck said.

"Yeah I didn't go through General Dhila." Crankcase shouted. Most of the clones there laughed, Athena rolled her eyes.

"You have some good friends Styl." Athena remarked

"The boys may be a little rude sometimes, but they are good soldiers, and my brothers in arms." Styl said. He wasn't joking, the bond between him and his men was symbiotic.

"Hey Styl, can you come look at this?" Hicks called.

"I'll be right back." Styl said to Athena "What is it Hicks?"

"I've lost all communication to the Titans Bane. Buck has come checked out the equipment and everything should be working, but it isn't." Hicks said with fear in his eyes.

"The damn signals probably low Hicks calm down." Buck said in a reassuring voice.

"How the hell do you know that Buck? We've been stranded out here for two weeks, how the hell do you know our only hope of a way of this planet isn't screwed Buck. Huh Buck, Huh!" Hicks said. The stress was getting to this troubled sargeant.

"Relax this isn't gonna be like Geonosis, that was an accident." Styl said trying to reassure Hicks.

"Jesus Christ." Hicks through tears.

"What's wrong with Hicks?" Athena asked.

"He's worried that he's gonna be left behind like Geonosis." Styl replied.

"What happened on Geonosis?" Athena replied

" During the second battle of Geonosis, Hicks was only a Corporal, or a shiny. He had never been that big of a battle before, before then he worked as security on Kamino. Him and his squad went into caves and were trapped inside when a Gunship hit the entrance. The entrance caved in leaving him and his squad got trapped inside. There were zombie Geonosians in the cave. After his squads leader Ripley was killed he had to take control. Half of his face was burned by acidic larvae blood hitting his face. The Republic won the battle and left the planet, leaving his squad behind. Later Captain Rex called for another sweep of the planet noticing that four squads were missing. Hicks found another exit and found a gunship. He escaped with his comrades Hudson, Vasquez, and Newt. Nobody survived but Hicks, he's had horrible PTSD since then. He was promoted to sergeant for his bravery in combat and was given his own squad. He is a great leader, but he has a lot to fear." Styl said.

"That's-that's awful." Athena replied.

"He hasn't been the same since."

The squad crashed in their camp for the night. The sound of blaster fire woke up Styl. The squad was fighting off an entire MTT transport filled with B1 Battle droids. Red and Blue flashes were the only lights in the early morning atmosphere.

"Thrax, Blam focus all fire onto the transport! The rest of you take the ground troops! Hicks yelled louder than he had ever yelled before.

"Aye Aye." Thrax shouted.

"Yes sir " Blam replied.

Athena lunged towards the droid transport, slashing at the main cannons.. The forward guns landed in the flowers. Styl took out three droids from afar. Then the morning was lit up by the MTT exploding.

"What the hell just happened?!" Buck yelled.

"What are our losses Sargent?" Styl asked.

"Hardline, Spaceball, and Spook ."Hicks replied.

"Dammit," Athena yelled. "Buck is the jammer fixed yet?"

"It was just blown straight to hell by the clankers." Buck replied

"Dammit!" Athena shouted "What time is it?"

"0300 hours General." Buck replied.

"We may as well get moving," Styl said. "We know the Seps are here. We should really head towards the Cry."

"Hey! Somebody help me!" Crankcase shouted.  
The squad rushed to Crankcase's location. "What's wrong Crank?" Blam said.

"It's Thrax he was shot in the chest. I don't know if he'll make it." Crankcase said frightened.

"Medic!" Hicks shouted. "Assessment of Thrax's injuries."

After a few minutes of silence the medic came out with this: "He'll make it but he won't be able to carry that big ass gun for a while."

"Alright bro you're gonna make it." Crankcase said with relief in his voice.

The group started towards the Champions Cry with only what they needed.

"Buck! Any connection to Titans Bane? Styl asked

"Nope" Buck replied.

"We can't focus on that now. Finding Master Vandar is top priority right now understand?" Athena said.

"Sir, Yes Sir" The squad replied.

"Are we there yet?" Thrax asked comedically.

"Look at the trees Thrax." Buck said.

There were no leaves on the tree. Most of the trees were either knocked down or singed ash. But in the middle of the charred field stood one rose.

"Set up camp here. We have a long time to explore." Styl said.

"I don't see any droids around here. Maybe they haven't found it yet." Said Athena.

"The sneaky bastards are probably inside sawing General Tooke in half" Crankcase said.

"Those clankers busted my damn arm! Now what am I supposed to do?" Thrak asked.

"Shove your thumb up your ass like you always do Thrax." Buck said.

The group all laughed even Thrax, the group shared some much needed bonding after a stressful night.

"Hey guys what do you called a limp armed idiot?" Crankcase asked. "Thrax!"

"Yeah laugh it up. Laugh all day if you want. I'll just be right here." Thrax said

"Boo hoo I can't hold my gun." Hicks said.

"Woah! Since when are you ever lighthearted?" Crankcase said

"Since now Crank" Hicks said. "I need to relax more, so why not joke around with my friends."

"That's the spirit Hicks." Athena said. "So which of you is the strongest?"

"That'd be me." Blam said.

"No way in hell!" Thrax said. "You don't lug around a minigun daily."

"Neither do you Thrax." Blam said.

"You gonna let that stand bro?" Crankcase asked.

"Blam was always stronger than you." Buck said while getting a high five from blam.

"Nobody asked for your opinion Buck, so shut it." Thrax said.

"I gotta say I'm with Thrax." Hicks said.

"I think it's Blam." Styl said.

"Permission to speak freely sir?" Thrax asked.

"Go ahead." Styl replied.

"Shut the hell up… sir." Thrax said playfully.

"Common consensus says Blam, so I'm gonna have to say Blam." Athena said "Sorry Thrax."

"We should get going guys." Styl said. "We don't know if the droids are inside there."

"You heard him, What the hell are you waiting for. Life Day." Athena shouted.

Styl and the rest of Rancor squad advanced into the Cry. Wires dangled from the ceiling of the ship and bodies littered the floor.

"We can mourn later, but now we need to find General Vandar." Styl said in somber. The squad advanced in the ship, finding battle droid shells and clone bodies alike.

They reached a deserted bridge to find only one thing, The corpse of Vandar Toome. "What are we gonna do now General." Hicks asked.

"Grab his lightsaber." Athena replied

"Why that? With all due respect."

"It's so that the Council can identify him."

"Huh. Can you use his saber?"

"No it's disrespectful."

"Mission Complete, right?" Buck asked.

"I guess so." Athena said.

The group left the Cry with nothing but Vandar's lightsaber until they arrived at the charred field.

"I'm getting a transmission." Styl said as a blue hooded figure told him 3 words he dreaded hearing.

"Execute Order Sixty-Six." The hooded figure uttered.

"What was it?" Hicks said. Styl bent down to grab the one scarlet rose in the middle of the field.

"I'm sorry for what they are about to do, they have no control over their actions." Styl said with a voice full of sorrow." He said to Athena, as he handed her the rose.

"Styl what's going on?" Athena said.

"Step away from General Dhaila sir." Hicks shouted.

"Don't do this." Styl said as he removed his helmet. " She is one of us boys. You have a choice!"

"Styl! What the hell is going on!" Athena screamed as her purple blade ignited.

"Step away from the general or we will open fire!" Hicks shouted.

" Hicks, this is the programming talking not you, fight this." Styl said to Hicks.

"I will only ask you one more time Styl, Step. Away. From. Her. Now!" Hicks shouted with every ounce of his being.

Then the blue lasers flew through the air the first one blowing Hicks' helmet off of his head.

"I'm sorry." Styl said.

Athena deflected Buck's laser bolt into his chest as his body fell limp. Styl shot down Blam before he got a shot onto anybody. Styl was shot in the chest as his armor burned. Crankcase shot Athena in the hand, then the chest as she fell down. Styl attempted to get up as he fell the last thing he saw was Athena and the rose lying in her limp hand.


End file.
